Roumania Past and Present eBook

[Footnote 163: This is not the Gregory Ghika
already referred to. Members of the different
families were distinguished by the affix I. II.
III. &c.]

[Footnote 164: Who this ‘Sir Francis’
was, we have not been able to ascertain.]

VII.

Shortly after this time, the Hellenic regeneration,
or the Hetaerie as it was called, commenced in the
south-east of Europe. This movement, which liberated
Greece from the Ottoman yoke, brought much misery but
ultimate gain to Roumania. In 1821 there reigned
in Wallachia Alexander Soutzo III., and in Moldavia
Michael Soutzo III., two Phanariotes who, true to
their traditions, had pressed upon the people with
their exactions until they were ripe for a revolt.
This took place in Wallachia under Theodor (or, as
he is sometimes called, Tudor) Vladimiresco, an ex-officer
in the Russian army (indeed, Russia is said to have
fomented the Greek revolt everywhere); whilst in Moldavia
a Greek called Alexander Ypsilanti joined with the
reigning hospodar to drive the Turks out of that principality.
Vladimiresco soon succeeded in establishing himself
in Bucarest, where he ruled supreme for a short time,
and whence he sent representations to the Porte complaining
of the conduct of the Phanariotes, requiring their
recall and the reinstatement of the native hospodars,
as well as a restitution of the rights of the people
under the old ‘capitulations.’ The
reply to this was the entrance into Wallachia of a
considerable army under the Pasha of Silistria, whereupon
Vladimiresco withdrew towards the mountains and stationed
himself at Pitesti. Ypsilanti, meanwhile, had
also approached Bucarest with his forces, but was
unable to come to an understanding with his companion
in revolt. When he heard of the withdrawal of
Vladimiresco and the march of the Turkish Pasha, he
believed, or professed to believe, that the former
was about to betray him, and the scene of Basta and
Michael was acted over again. Ypsilanti sent
one of his lieutenants with a strong escort who decoyed
Vladimiresco out of his tent by vain promises, carried
him off by force, and then murdered him with great
barbarity.

After the assassination of his rival, Ypsilanti, who
claimed to represent the movement for Greek regeneration,
found himself face to face with a well-organised Turkish
army, whilst his own, consisting of enthusiastic Greeks
and volunteers from various countries, was inferior
in numbers and comparatively undisciplined. Holding
discretion to be the better part of valour, he retired
before the enemy, who, however, brought him to bay
and offered him battle at Dragosani on the river Oltu.
Here enthusiasm and devotion to their cause inspired
the ’sacred battalion,’ as the Greeks
called themselves, with unwonted courage, and at first
the Turks were unable to resist their impetuous charge
with the bayonet. Ypsilanti was, however, no
general, and, failing to profit by the bravery of
his troops, the advantage was lost; the Turks rallied,
a rout ensued, and Ypsilanti fled, leaving his lieutenants
to resist for a time and then to die gloriously in
defence of their liberties. He escaped across
the Carpathians into Austria, was seized by order of
the Government, imprisoned in the fortress of Munkacs,
and some writers say he was afterwards executed.